Format Painter Button

Have you ever found yourself constantly applying the same formatting options over and over again in a file? Maybe you’re changing a font size, bolding and underlining line after line after line.

Getting tired of all the highlighting of text, change font size, click bold button and then click underline button over and over again?

Want a one button answer?

Of course you do, don’t we all?

The answer you’re looking for is in one little button—the Format Painter button.

Basically what the Format Painter does is take the formatting from a highlighted section of text or cells and then applies just the formatting to another section of text or cells that you select.

You should be able to find this wonderful invention in many of the MS Office Suite programs. I found it in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

To begin you’ll need to decide what formatting you want to copy. (Either format some of the text or cells in the current file or find another file with the formatting you need. In other words, you need formatting to copy.)

Next you’ll need to go and highlight the text or cells to which you want the formatting applied. (If you used the key combination Ctrl + Shift + C to copy the formatting, then you’ll need to use Ctrl + Shift + V to paste the formatting into the new text or cell.)

Poof!

You should now have reformatted text with just one button and a couple of clicks. And, as a special bonus, the Format Painter has turned itself off so you’re on you’re instantly on your way.

But wait you say, you have more than one thing to format?

Looking for a way to format multiple things without repeating the process over and over?

Good idea – we can do that with just one extra click!

In order to use the Format Painter on multiple items, simply double-click the button. This will turn on the Format Painter for as long as you need it.

Now you’re ready to paste the formatting to your heart’s content.

(If you used the keyboard to copy and paste formatting then it’s still turned on. You can just highlight another section and use Ctrl + Shift + V to paste again.)

When you’re ready to turn off the Format Painter simply click the Format Painter button again or hit the Esc key.

That’s it! Formatting can really be that easy. This is one you should definitely investigate. You’ll be amazed by how much time you can save. Now, if only there was a way to get back all that formatting time we’ve already wasted!